THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE
Film - CineVision Competition Filmfest 2019

THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE

Directed by Riley Stearns

Info

Director: Riley Stearns
Section: CineVision Competition
Country: USA
Year: 2018
Language: English
Version: Original version
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots
18+ (no age rating)

Logline

THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE

After he's attacked on the street at night by a roving motorcycle gang, timid bookkeeper Casey joins a neighborhood karate studio to learn how to protect himself. Under the watchful eye of a charismatic instructor, Sensei, and hardcore brown belt Anna, Casey gains a newfound sense of confidence for the first time in his life. But when he attends Sensei's mysterious night classes, he discovers a sinister world of fraternity, brutality, and hyper-masculinity, presenting a journey that places him squarely in the sights of his enigmatic new mentor. Audacious and offbeat, this is an original dark comedy that takes toxic masculinity to absurd extremes.

Meet the director

THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE

Riley Stearns

Riley Stearns grew up in Austin, Texas. His short film THE CUB was shown the Sundance Festival in 2013. A year later, he had his feature-film debut with FAULTS, about a woman who falls into the clutches of a cult. This film, like THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE (2019), premiered at the SXSW Festival. Stearns has a martial-arts background and has a purple belt in Brazilian jiujitsu.

Credits

Screenplay: Riley Stearns
Director of Photography: Micheal Ragen
Film Editor: Sarah Beth Shapiro
Composer: Heather McIntosh
Production Designer: Charotte Royer
Costume Design: Jami Villers
Sound: Chris Polczinski
Sound design: test test
Make-up artist: test test
Showrunner: test test
Casting director: test test
Producer: Cody Ryder, Andrew Kortschak,Stephanie Whonsetler, Walter Kortschak, test test
Production Company: Bleecker Street
Executive producer: test test